Louise De Mortie (1833 – October 10, 1867) was an African-American lecturer and fundraiser. She devoted herself to aiding black children orphaned during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
.
She was born free in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
and moved to
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
in 1853. De Mortie was known as a public speaker and as a popular singer. She moved to
in 1863 to help black orphans in that city. She raised funds in support of the Colored Orphans Home there and served as its manager.
She married John Oliver, an African-American carpenter and abolitionist; the couple divorced in 1862.
[
De Mortie died of ]yellow fever
Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...
in New Orleans.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Mortie, Louisa
1833 births
1867 deaths
19th-century African-American women
Charity fundraisers (people)
People from Norfolk, Virginia
Deaths from yellow fever
19th-century philanthropists